When it comes to organisms living in the soil, we mostly hear about the “bad guys”—soilborne pests. However, there are many soil organisms that are beneficial to crops. Among these beneficial organisms, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi…
Stormwater runoff, particularly from roadways, is one of the leading sources of water pollution in Puget Sound. Stormwater pollution impacts people and ecosystems in different ways. Many of the things Puget Sound residents hold dear…
What do you call the worm that ate Mozart? A DECOMPOSER! But for one central Washington dairy, a treatment system is using worms, not to decompose manure but to address the knotty and chronic issue of excessive nutrient levels. And now WSU researchers are studying just how helpful those worms might be to the Washington dairy industry.
Ecologists, agroecologists, and regenerative agriculture advocates are promoting biodiversity to solve many of agriculture’s problems. They often base this on evidence of the benefits of plant biodiversity from ecological research…
Biochar has the potential to provide a win-win for climate, soils, and forest health. Previous posts on the CSANR Perspectives in Sustainability blog have discussed the effects of integrating biochar with composting facilities, engineering biochars for specific applications, and potential for biochar use in Washington to draw down carbon dioxide. The Pacific Northwest is particularly suited…
Manure can play a valuable role in crop production because of its ability to build soil fertility and soil health. Ironically, manure can pose a waste disposal issue for livestock producers. Why does this situation…
We’re all exhausted. As we near the end of what feels like the longest year of our lives, we’re now being told that we can’t enjoy the holiday season with loved ones. No more “over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go.” Instead, it’s Uber Eats and…
It used to be that livestock and crops were integrated on a single farm and manure provided an important source of fertility for crop production. However, the advent of commercial fertilizer, increased specialization on farms…
I really didn’t like this fungus joke at first. But it’s growing on me. And thank goodness for that, because fungus may just be a key component to addressing another issue ripe for CSANR blogpost humor: cow poop.
Here is an ammonia joke for you: Why do chemistry students like studying ammonia? Because it’s pretty basic stuff! So basic, in fact, that high levels of ammonia in dairy wastewater inhibit algal growth. For researchers at WSU looking to use algae as a natural way to extract high levels of nitrogen…